The Shadow of Judgement
by Christopher Pitt
Summary: He doesn't know who he is but he cursed or blessed with the powers of the black crystal in the palm of his hand and a strange sword.Will he become The world's greatest ally or its most deadly foe on his quest to find himself? PLEASE REVIEW
1. The birth of the shadow

The Shadow of Bludhaven

Birth of the Shadow

I woke on a subway train speeding down the tracks, the the sudden burst of noise filled my head with pain.

" Young man do you have a ticket," asked a woman dressed in a blue uniforn.

" A what," I asked trying to shake off the pain.

A piece of white paper was revealed in my hand.

" Very good," the woman said sounding pleased as she moved down the rest of the passengers.

The pain in head was gone but now I could think cleary and that was much worse.

" Who am I, Where am I going? and Why can't I remember any of this," I thought and these thoughts enraged me.

" Welcome to Bludhaven end of the line," boomed the speakers.

The subway train came to screeching hault and the passengers filed out one by one. I went to leave but then I noticed that there was a large black gym bag.

" Come on Punk I have to clean the train and I can't do it with you still on it," snapped an old man.

I picked up the gym and walked off the train. I was surprised by how heavy it was but I told myself that later I would check to see what it is.

I walked outside and was blinded by light, I blinked a couple of times so my eyes could adjust to the huge difference of lighten. A chill went up my spine then I realized that my clothes were shreds. Quickly I located a shop where I could could by clothes. I entered the smoke filled shop to find a man no older than myself behind the counter smoking a cigarette. Already I was disgusted by the excuse for a human being. I picked out black leather pants, leather vest, purple T-shirt and black fingerless gloves. I went the counter to pay my articles of clothing.

" That be 87 buckes little dude," laughed the boy. I reached in my pockets to find out in great sorrow that I had know money.

" I don't have any money," I said quietly.

The boy's laughter ended, " Then get out you poor bitch".

" But I need clothes so I don't...", I tried to say until the boy blew smoke in my face and the laughter then began again. My hatred swelled up I tried with all my might to hold back my anger but it was no use.

" I said get out Bitch", yelled the boy.

" You disgust me for so many reasons, first off you let yourself be controlled by an addiction that really is sad and secondly Your a coward," I yelled in anger and I noticed that in my anger my voice had become deeper.

" A coward," trembled the boy.

" You have to slowly kill yourself rather then do it all at once because you given to your fear", I snapped " So allow me to do it for you".

I threw my arm out in front of me and an invisible power sent the boy flying against the wall behind him. I hopped over the counter and stalked his body as he tried to rise to his feet.

" Please don't kill me", whined the boy with his face bleeding and his mouth filled with blood.

I looked at him, I saw the damage I had dealt to him and I searched myself for an answer and I found it, HE DOESN'T DESERVE TO LIVE!.

I helped him up off the ground.

" Thanks," he gasped.

I then went behind him and snapped his neck and his lifeless body then hit the floor with a loud thud.

I went to the door of the store and flipped the sign to read closed, I then pulled the curtains shut the room was submerged into shadows and I found it very calming. I decided to change into my new clothes. While I was changing I noticed that my hand was wrapped in bandages and this was I threw in front of me and sent the the boy against the wall with. I removed the bandages to find a black crystal planted in the palm of my hand. This must be the reason for the power I displayed just moments ago. At first I was afraid but then I thought of the possiblities for what I could accomplish with this power. I then remembered the gym bag I was carrying with me before I commited my awful act that I did not regret. I unzipped the bag to reveal its contents, a sword was in the bag I tried to pick it up with my hand and thousands of screams filled my head but the weren't screams of fright they were screams of people being slaughtered by the sword I held in my hand. I dropped the sword and stumbled back I then tried to make sense of what had happen to me.

" I guess I can't weild the sword but then how did I get it in the bag," I mumbled to myself.

I attempted to weild the blade again but with my other the same hand that contained the black crystal and my head filled with all the knowledge I need to weild the sword. No longer was it just a sword it was a part of my being.

" Now What do I need," I asked aloud. The first thing that came to mind was Money so I can surive in my new enviroment but how to get it I thought, I could rob the bank but I'll need more weapons I realized. I noticed an ad in the newspaper the boy had been reading it was for " Nick's semi Non- deadly weapons".

" That will have to do", I remarked.

Luckily the store was only a couple of blocks down from the clothes store that I had made my base of action for the meanwhile. I grabbed the bag with the sword in it and made my way to the store.

I arrived in the store to find a teenage boy behind the counter. He had medium length hair and glasses.

" Hi, what can I do for you," he asked.

" I'm looking for Nick and some weapons," I replied.

" Well I'm Nick and these are my weapons," he answered.

" I need some weapons for distration and to make clean getaways," I explained.

Nick then entered the backroom and ewntered with a tray of weapons.

" I think these will do the job," he said " there are smoke bombs, hand cuffs, explosive marbles and a set metal plates to mount on your gloves".

" This is great," I said happily.

" So how would you like to pay for this?", he asked.

Trying to avoid another murder I offered him a deal.

" If you let me have it now I'll pay you triple for it tomorrow", I offered.

Nick then had a very serious look on his face like he was about to turn down the deal and if he did I would kill him I cold blood just like the boy at the clothes shop.

" Okay sounds good to me," he replied in an upbeat manner.

" Great," I replied " I need one more thing".

" What's that", he asked.

" A sheath for my sword", I said while I placed the sword on the counter.

He then grabbed a sheath for it and I left the store to return to my lair.

" Come back any time," Nick yelled as I walked out.

I entered the clothes store to prepare for long night of crime ahead. I attached the metal platings onto my gloves and got the idea of hiding my identity.

" Better I know my identity first before the police", I laughed to myself.

I founded a dark purple cloak close to the same colour of my shirt and mounted it on my vest to form a cape, I also found black visor goggles and the were perfect I could see as palin as ever but nobody could see my eyes. My attire was perfect I could blend in with the darkness that I found so very comforting. I waited until the night cover of Bludhaven until I made my strike on the bank. Finally night had plunged the city into my realm the darkness. I climbed to the roof of store and jumped rooftop to rooftop making my way to my destination. I was amazed at my speed and the height of my jumps. Filled with confidence I flipped on to the roof top of the bank. The roof was a was made of glass so pulled out my sword so I could cut a circle big enough in the glass so I could fit through it. I jumped through my hole and landed on the hallway floors. The bank was very dark only the shine of red exit signs gave any source of light. I walked down the hall at fast pace so I could get to a vault and get to work.

" Stealth is for the weak," I laughed.

Suddenly the alarms went off and sirens filled my head but the noises only annoyed me not pain me like the screams.

" Hey you," yelled someone behind me.

I turned around to face a guard and his dog. The dog then rushed at me, by insinct I threw my hand infront of me and lifted the dog by using the power of the black crystal. The dog was suspended in the air for a while until I used my power to throw the dog at the guard. The guard dog then ran off in fear but the guard did not follow his dog instead he rush as fast as he could at me. I easily flipped over and landed behind him quickly I unshealth my blade and stabbed him from behind. I heard him groan probably in disbelief about his situation that in a matter of moments he would cease to live and all he would be remembered for was being a bank guard. I withdrew my sword from his body made my way towards the vault. I had decided to keep my sword by my side just incase I came across any unexpected problems. I rounded the corner of the hall to come across three armed guards. They looked in horror at my blade that was drenched in the blood of their fallen comrade.

" Your the one who set off the alarms," yelled one of the guards " And you killed Howard!".

The guard shot a couple bullets at me from his gun but all of them were deflected by my blade and were sent into his chest. He collapsed onto the cold floor and his blood started to paint the floor. Using the powers of the black crystal I removed the other guard's guns from there grasps. One guard ran at me and I grabbed him turned him around and slit his throat. This time I felt the blood run down my arm and it disturbed me suddenly I had a deep feeling of regret I had killed four people now and three were just doing there jobs. The final guard came at me with his right hand in a fist, I evaded the punch and with my sword I hacked off his right arm and kicked him to the side of the hall. The hall had filled with the stench of blood.

I turned around to face the one armed guard " Not everyone has to die tonight," I sais as I walked away.

I started to run the rest of the way, I wanted to get the money and get out of the bank before anyone else died at my hands. I arrived at the vault it was a huge circular metal door. I moved close to the door and had the idea of using the sword as my key, I stabbed the door with the blade and blue flames shot up. The blade easily cut through the thick metal door and no time I had made a large enough hole to fit through. I put the blade back in its sheath and walked in, the vault room was covered in rows of depoist boxes. Quickly I grabbed to empty bags that were on the floor and filled them, when I was done they must have been filled to the top with money and jewelery. I grabbed the bags and walked out of the vault room.

" Stop right there," yelled a voice.

A man in black a black and blue spandex costume emerged from the shadows.

" How the hell did you get in," I yelled.

The man then pointed at the window to his left " Through the open window" he replied.

" Who are you," I growled.

" I was just about to ask you the samething, tell me who you are and hand over the money," he answered.

I rushed at him and attacked him with an onslaught of punches bu the blocked every single one. Quickly I retreated and dove into the air and came at him with a kick but he blocked my attack so I started to kick with both I was walking in place on his hands that were blocking me.

" Man this guy is tough but I won't use the blade no one else deserves to die tonight", I thought.

" Give it up already", he taunted.

I reached in the inside of my pocket and found the smoke bombs. Quickly I threw a hand full and the room filled with smoke, I grabbed a pair of handcuffs and locked them one the hand of my masked foe's hand and the other end of the cuffs on a metal pole close to the window.

" I guess I'll see you later", I laughed and started to make my way out the window but then I stopped and walked towards my foe and gave him a stiff kick to the gut, he moaned in pain as I walked out the window. It only took a couple of minutes for me to get back to clothes store that was my base. I entered the rooftop door and locked it behind me. I got downstairs and locked all the doors. I then turned on the Television, the first channel it was on was the local news.

" Breaking News just in Bludhaven City Bank was robbed and thats not the worst of it our masked hero Nightwing was helpless againset the robber," the news anchor.

" So that's who it was this Nightwing guy", I realized.

" It is estimated that over one million dollars was stolen from the bank and three armed guards were killed and one criticaly injured, This meance got away and made a fool of Nightwing, security tapes have not come in yet but resident in the apartments across the street from the bank got a picture" a picture of me on the rooftop of the bank flashed on screen " This man of shadows is now made Bludhaven his home and is Nightwing powerless against? only time will tell", said the news anchor.

" Thanks Tom and tomorrow we are looking at a sunny day", said the blonde news anchor.

I turned off the television and got up from my chair and looked out thewindow trough the drapes and watched the police cars speed down the street.

" So the city has named me," I laughed " Whether they like or not Bludhaven is now home to THE SHADOWMAN".


	2. Friends from pain

The Shadow of Bludhaven

Friends from pain

Disclaimer: I do not any DC comics characters or other trademark items but I do own original characters.

''''''''''''''''''

"You killed us," called the voices.

"Leave me alone!" I cried.

"We were only doing our jobs," The voices called again, I ran as far as I could but the darkness was endless and the figures of the voices were right behind.

I stopped and pulled out the blade but before I could attack it shattered into pieces. Dark purple smoke poured out of the shattered remains of the blade then a dark hooded figure appeared. The figure slowly walked towards me and I panicked and threw a punch at the hooded stranger, but he figure never raised a finger and I instantly became paralyzed.

I looked into the face of the hooded figure to only stare into darkness then two eyes flashed red and my head filled with agony of thousands. The pain was unbearable it felt like my head was going to burst.

"Sirus!" I heard a woman yell at the top of her lungs.

I woke up in my bed in my apartment drenched in sweat. I tried to get out of bed but I was still dizzied by the pain, I shook it off and walked to the window.

The city was being pounded by rain, a lightning bolt then hit and lit up my apartment. It had been two weeks since the night I robbed the bank and three people of their lives, I slaughtered three guards in cold blood, and that changes one's life drastically. It would never be the same again…

I spared one guard, but I cut off his arm. He later came on T.V. and announced that he would not rest until The Shadow man was unmasked and put in jail. The few past weeks I have been having nightmares even though I never saw the hooded figure's faces I knew who they were.

They were the spirits of the guards that I killed, But the nightmare tonight was different…the hooded figure from the smoke had never been in my nightmare before and the woman who yelled Sirus hadn't either, It felt like the woman was yelling at me.

"That must be my name...Sirus," I whispered to myself. I used some of the money from the robbery to buy an apartment and furniture; I emptied the clothes store of all the clothing and got rid of the body of the boy.

I weighed it down using rocks and dumped it into the ocean.

"Wait a second, the boy has never haunted me," I realized "why?".

I stood on the balcony of my apartment just staring into the storm trying to think….'why he didn't haunt me?'

"I didn't kill him with the sword!" I realized "The sword must be somehow tied in with the nightmares!"

Outside the wind howled and the rain pounded on the ground. It was that dark and stormy night that happened too often for my liking but something haunted me, my conscience plagued my mind…

"Well if I'm not going to go back to sleep I guess The Shadowman should go out," I said to myself softly.

I changed into the black and dark purple clothes; I laced my boots and slipped on my gloves. The last time I wore this costume, I killed three people but tonight would be different, tonight I wont go out for my gain, I will go for the good of Bludhaven. I put on my black visor and was ready for the city.

I walked to my balcony and looked down it was a pretty long drop but nothing I couldn't handle. I dove off the balcony, the rain hit my face and I could feel my cape flowing in the wind.

I landed on the hard sidewalk but quickly rebounded on to the nearest rooftop. I ran rooftop to rooftop in search for criminals. It had been at least an hour and there was no trace of any crimes being committed.

"Well this was a waste of time," I snapped at myself.

Just then a screech filled the air, I looked around and saw nothing and then another scream filled the air, and this time I knew where it was coming from.

I turned around and headed towards the direction of the scream and jumped a high rooftop and looked over the edge and saw a red headed girl being chased by two low lives.

"Hey baby how would you like to get with a real man," grumbled the obviously drunk man.

"Get a way from me," shrieked the girl.

"Come with us now little girl before we make you." threatened the other drunk.

The men started to advance on her and I reached into the pocket of my vest and threw a handful of smoke bombs at them, the ally filled with a dark purple smoke.

"Who's the dumb punk with a death wish?" growled a drunk.

Before the smoke faded away I positioned myself between the drunks and the girl.

"That's it now you're in for it!" yelled the drunk.

The smoke faded away and to the fears of the drunks stood before them. The Shadow man. I heard the gasps of the drunks and the whining had already begun.

"Please don't kill us," cried a drunk.

"You have two choices, run and never commit any awful crimes for the rest of your lives or stand here and try and get pass me," I explained. The one drunk who cried at me ran away but the other stood his ground.

"I'm not scared of some costume wearing clown," growled the drunk.

"Well you should be," I barked at him. The drunk continued to make his way to the girl behind me.

"You're not going to lay a hand on her," I snapped.

"Listen here asshole I don't know who you are but I want that girl!" yelled the drunk in his rage. I then saw in the hand of the drunk; a long knife. Sure he had a knife but that didn't worry me he didn't know how to effectively use it on an opponent…that and he was incredibly drunk.

The drunk then yelled and ran at me and raised the knife in the air and tried to stab me. I grabbed the knife with two fingers and kicked the drunk in the stomach; I heard a loud crash and was the drunk hit the dumpster behind him.

I walked up to him and heard his groans of agony; at least a couple of his ribs had to be broken. I picked him up by the collar and I looked in to his eyes, I could smell the stench of alcohol on his breath. He disgusted me just like the boy in the clothes store but there was a major difference in this situation, this man was drunk he didn't know what he was doing but none the less he needed to be stopped, this girl was in trouble.

"Who are you?" cried the drunk.

"I'm The Shadowman!" I yelled. I heard the girl behind me shriek, the drunk broke free from grasp and started to throw punches, but I easily dodge his pathetic attempt at an attack, and threw a punch of my own and hit him in the face.

The drunk staggered back and saw that the drunks face was now bleeding, his nose must have been broken, I then kicked his legs out from under him and he hit the ground hard. I then stood on the top of the chest pinning him down.

"Do you give up?" I asked confidently.All the drunk did was groan and I took that as a yes. I flipped him over and cuffed him and grabbed him by the chain of the cuffs and dragged him towards the girl. The girl slowly walked back but fell on her bottom.

"I'm not going to hurt you," I said gently.

The girl was terrified and was on the edge of crying; I walked over to her and helped her up.

"I'll make sure you get home safe after I drop this guy off at the police station," I explained.

I grabbed her by the hand and jumped on to the rooftop. Using the powers of the crystal I made the drunk float in the air beside me and followed me. The girl jumped on my back and I carried her as I ran to the police station.

I was running as fast as I could and I could feel the girl's arms tighten around my neck. I finally got to the rooftop across from the police station. I used the powers of the black crystal to send the drunks body to the front door of the station and slammed it against the door so it would get the attention of the police.

A policemen then walked out of the station and looked at the drunk with a confused expression. He then noticed a note on the back of the drunk and read it.

_To the Police of Bludhaven_

_I caught this man trying to rape a young lady_

_He was also carrying a knife, so I prevented the attack _

_And turn him over to you._

_From The Shadow man._

The Policemen then called for help to drag the drunk to the drunk tank. I turned to the girl who was shook up from the attack that had taken place this stormy night, this was the first time I looked the girl over, her red hair was now drenched by the rain and her green tank top and black skirt weren't in better condition, her lips were blue and her eyes were blood shot.

"Do you live near here?" I asked.

" I don't live in this city," she replied.

"Then where do you live?" I asked.

"I don't know," she cried" I woke up on the subway and do know how I got there." The girl fell to her knees and wept for her dire situation the tears ran down her face. I walked over to her and picked her up.

"You can stay with me," I replied. The girl was to busy crying to answer my offer I then started running towards my apartment my mind filled with ideas and thoughts.

"Maybe this girl can help me learn more about myself," I mused. 'We both ended up here the same way but I don't see bandages on her hand and she wasn't carrying anything' I thought.

The crying had stopped but the girl wasn't making any noise what so ever, she must have fallen asleep, so I slowed down a bit so I wouldn't disturb her sleep.

"Somehow this girl is connected to me but what is with crystal and the blade how come I arrived here with them and she didn't?" I asked myself.

We arrived back at my apartment and the girl was exhausted and had fallen asleep in my arms. I rested her on my bed and threw a blanket over her and closed the door. I changed out of my Shadow man costume and put on a pair of blue jeans and a black sweater. I threw costume onto the couch and noticed that I was out of smoke bombs.

"I wonder if Nick is still open." I thought.

I grabbed my keys and an umbrella walked out into the hallway of the building and locked the door behind me. I pressed the down but for the elevator and waited for the elevator. I had only been living her for a week before then I slept in the clothes store that I had gained.

The person who sold me the apartment didn't ask any questions but he did want my name after he got back from his vacation. I guess I got lucky there at that time I didn't know my name but now I do, Sirus, but I need a last name I thought to myself. I started to think of last names so many popped into my head but none called to me.

"IVANOVA!" I yelled in amazement " Thats my last name".

I then heard someone shh me, I turned around and saw Mrs. Wilson, and she was an old lady whose brown hair was starting to fade to snow white.

"Sorry," I said.

"You're a weird one, I never see you leave but I always see you come back and I don't even know your name," She snapped.

" Sirus Ivanova," I told her.

"I don't care," she said harshly and then went back into her apartment.

The elevator doors opened and I stepped into the elevator pressed the button for the ground floor, the doors hissed as they closed and I was alone in the elevator.

I lived on the tenth it was the highest floor, I got the highest floor because when I left as Shadow man no one would see me but in the past week I learned I could jump on to my balcony from the street, I learned this when I locked my keys in the apartment, Mrs. Wilson's husband was the man who sold me the apartment, he was a fat man who was balding and at least once a week he and Mrs. Wilson fought.

He just went on a vacation so Mrs. Wilson was on her own, I had seen Mr. Wilson come home during the day when Mrs. Wilson was out and he was also in the company of a blond woman, the poor woman doesn't even know that her husband is cheating on her with some woman who wants him for his money.

The elevator doors hissed open and I stepped into the lobby, the only thing in the lobby was a wall over letterboxes that I didn't care about, I never got mail anyways. I pulled my hood of my sweater over my head and opened my umbrella and walked outside into the storm.

I walked in the direction of Nick's shop, only lived down the street from the store, the rain pounded my umbrella. Nobody was outside they were all in there beds under the covers of their warm beds. I arrived at Nick's store the lights were on. He then heard yelling coming from the inside.

"Give us the money," someone shouted.

"I don't have it," I heard Nick gasped, it sounded like he was being choked.

"Then I'm just going to have put an end to you like Blockbuster said," grunted the voice.

"You won't lay finger on him," I yelled as I kicked in the door.

" Your going to stop me," laughed the huge man who stood over Nick's battered and bloody body.

" You," gasped Nick.

" You know each other, well you can die together," laughed The huge man.

In a blink of an eye I punched him as hard as I could in the stomach, I heard a loud crack and a rush of pain engulfed me and I withdrew my punch and stumbled back.

" Poor little man," the man taunted " Did you hurt your hand, let me help".

He then picked me up in arms raised me above his head and threw me against a wall, the wall wasn't strong enough to withstand the power of the thug's throw and it crumbled on top as soon as I hit it.

" What your friend just did wasn't courage, it was stupidity," the thug explained " to bad for your friend that under my skin is metal plating".

The thug then slowly walked towards Nick's body savoring every moment of his victory over two young men. He then raised his fist above his head to crush Nick's skull in. The thug then heard the rubble of the wall shaking, he turned around and the rubble shot of in all directions, instanly I appeared right infront of him with the palm of my hand on his chest.

" What the hell," the thug yelled.

I then used the powers of the black crystal to shatter the metal plate on in his chest, pieces of metal flew out of his chest and his once white shirt was now a blood soaked red. The thug tried to talk but when he opened his mouth blood flowed out, he then holding his chest ran out of the store back to his boss the one he called blockbuster. I then went over to Nick and helped him up onto his feet.

" Thanks," he spat out.

" No problem," I replied.

I carried Nick to my apartment so that he would be safe, if he was under my watchful eye nobody would harm him. I thumbled with my keys to unlock my door, I had to be quiet so Mrs. Wilson didn't hear me. I placed Nick on the couch and went and got a wet cloth and a large bowl of water. When I got back Nick was sitting up so I flicked the living rooms light on so we could see each other. Nick's hair was now blood soaked as much as his face.

" Here," I said handing him the wet cloth.

" Thanks," he replied as he cleaned his face.

" You can stay here as long as you want," I explained.

" You save me and give me a place to stay and I don't even know your name," he reminded me.

" Sirus Ivanova," I replied happily.

" Or should I call you Shadowman," he asked with a smirk.

" You know," I asked in shock.

" Come on, the hand cuffs they took of Nightwing we're the ones I sold you," He answered.

" You won't tell anyone," I asked.

" No because your not really a bad guy you play by your own rules and since the bank robbery you've done some good things," Nick explained.

" How do you know what I did after the bank robbery," I questioned.

" Who else would beat nine gang members into submission and then pile them in front of the police station," He replied with a laugh.

" Your pretty good detective," I laughed.

" I can help you Sirus," I said.

" How?", I asked puzzled.

" Not much of a fighter but I can build weapons and gadgets for you," he explained.

" I don't think so," I replied.

" I could build you a custom bike," he informed me.

" A bike," he said in amazment " Deal".

" Well I'm going to need a name," He thought aloud " Shadowboy?"

" NO," I snapped.

Nick sat there for a second rubbing his chin, " Striker"

" I like it," I replied.

I then heard footsteps behind me and I turned around adn saw the girl I saved from rape in the doorway of my bedroom wide awake.

" Sirus, is that you?", he whimpered on the edge of tears.


End file.
